by Cathy Glass
First published 2009
Dawn arrives at Cathy Glass's home as her first foster placement. The girl appears sweet and well adjusted on the surface. Her calm exterior hides a childhood filled with trauma inflicted by those meant to protect her. The abuse was so severe that Dawn has blocked out the memories completely. During her first night, Cathy wakes to find Dawn standing over the baby's cot with vacant, staring eyes. Dawn sleepwalks regularly, a behavior that manifests in children who have experienced severe disturbance. The episodes grow more frightening when Cathy discovers Dawn lighting matches in her sleep while repeating "it's not my fault." Dawn skips school and cannot form friendships with other children. One night Cathy finds Dawn's bedroom empty and her pillow stained with blood. As Cathy works to help Dawn heal, she must navigate the dangerous manifestations of buried trauma while trying to reach the damaged child beneath.
Genres: family-life, abuse, contemporary, psychological-thriller, foster-parents
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: damaged-protagonist, found-family, healing
320 pages · Kindle Edition · HarperCollins Publishers
Content warnings: abuse, child-abuse, domestic-violence, emotional-abuse, mental-illness